Shaping and testing device for awls



March 20, 1928. 1,662,905

T. H. SE ELY ET AL SHAPING AND TESTING DEVICE FOR AWLS Filed Dec. 4, 1922 Win Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. SEELY AND LE ROY W. ROLLINS, OF MALDEN, LIASSACHUSETTS, AS SIGNORS TO UNITED SHOE REPAIRING MACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE,

A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

SHAPING AND TESTING DEVICE FOR AWLS.

Application filed December 4, 1922. Serial No. 604,918.

This invention relates to shaping and testing devices for awls of curved-needle shoestitohing machines and is herein shown as embodied in a. device for.use in pointing and repointing such aivls.

Stitching machine awls are received from the manufacturer with the points only approxiu'ia-tcly shaped. It isa well-known fact that small variations in the shape or bevel of the point and also differences in the dis placement of the pointed end amounting to one or two thousandths of an inch will modify and control the action of an awl in stitching an outsole to the welt of a shoe, it being understood that the welt has previously been united to the upper and insole by a. closely adjacent line of inseam stitches. For instance, a short bevel on the back of the owl or a displacement of the edge toward the back of the awl causes it to draw on or to pierce successive holes progressively farther inwardly from the edge of the shoe,- with consequent danger of damaging the shoe by the owl scratching or cutting the upper and, also, of cutting the inseam stitches which results in the inseam giving way or ripping during subsequent wear. Also, after an awl has been in use for sometime it is often sprung out of alineme-nt with the sewing needle, which prevents the awl-from properly per forming its function of making the hole for the needle to enter. This results in defective stitching because the needle "does not have the benefit of the awl hole to follow in sewing and is likely to be broken.

In United States Letters Patent N0. 1,545,574, granted July. 14, 1925, upon ap plicat-ion of one of the present applicants, there is disclosed an awl pointing device in the form of a hand tool having hardened file guiding surfaces for determining the bevel at the end of the awl, clamping members for gripping the awl and holding it in a predetermined relation to said file guiding surfaces, and a testing devicewhich may be used by the operative as a gage in determining whether or not the awl has the proper curvature for use in the stitching machine. V r

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved device of simple design and construction which will insure only properly curved awls being sent to the stitching machines and also permit a desired predetermined shape or form of point to be im-' such a construction will allow the operative immediately .to detect and reject any awl that is warped, bent or otherwiseout of alinementand therefore unfit for use in the stitching machine. j j v In further accordance withthe stated 0b-'- ject of this invention, an additional. feature thereof consists in the provision of means for guiding a shaping tool along the end of an awl, and co-acting members arranged to support the-awl and to move it from an inoperative position into an operative awl filing position so that there may be imparted to the awl a pointof predetermined shape.

In. the illustrative embodiment of the invention a. movable segmental arm is provided'with means to grip the opposite corners of a sewing machine awl at its blunt end and is mounted to swing the awl through an are into file guiding engagement with a sectional aw'l clamp, the jaws of this clamp being formed to coincide with the angle it is desired to impart" to the awl pointand being so positioned relatively to the, segmental arm, that only those'awls bearing a proper curvature will be permitted to enter therein. This organization permits the operative to position and test the awl to be ground to the best advantage readily and without appreciable loss of time and obviates liability of performing sharpening operations awkwardly and inaccurately or ot erivise disadvantageously. I

These and other features and advantages of the invention will appearfrom a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings of an illustrative construction in which,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View looking from theright upper corner of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view. partly in section, of the holder for the point of-the awl;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the awl carrier or testing device; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the means for holding the end of the awl.

The numeral 10 indicates a base men'iber which may be :formedintegral with the arm of the feed adjusting mechanism on the usual curved needle stitching machine. The base has anupwardly extending arm or ex tension 12 with an enlargement 14 channeled and cupped as at 16 to form spaced bearing points 18. Integrally formed jaws 20 are confined in the channel againstlateral movementand rest against the bearing points 18. These jaws may be formedtrom a-block by cutting out the circular portion 22, there be 7 ing a stem 24 integralwith the jaws .20 and passing through the enlargement 14: Where the stem is threaded forthe reception of a knurled nut 26. The extremities of the jaws form asectionalridge, each section having fiat faces 28 and 30 intersecting at theangle desired for the point ofthe awl. These faces are hardened so that when a shaping tool such as a file is passed across them, no impression will be made thereon. Guide faces 32 and 34 for the edge of a file project at substantially right angles from the faces 28and 30, respectively. After the block is cut as indicated at 22 to form the arms 20, a broach may be utilized to cut, simultaneously, V-shaped notches or grooves 36 at the ends of the jaws, these notches conforming to the opposite corners of an awl and adapted for gripping it near the point when caused to approach each other. Since the awl is to be held at both ends for shaping, the notches 36 may be made of slight extent by cutting away. the jaws at. 38 and 40. It is apparent that when the point of an awl A is presented between the sections of the ridge formed by the surfaces 28 and 30, rotation of the knurled, head 26 will move the stem 24 and, by reason of the bearing of the jaws 20 at the points 18, will spring the jaws sufficiently to grip and re tain the corners ofthe awl in the notches 36.

In order to insure. that an awl which is not of proper shape will be detected and discarded by the operative, atesting device is, provided, this testing device also aiding to hold a properly shaped awl for filing, .A boss projecting from the base'10 is bored as at 52 dia gonally with respect to the file guiding surfaces 28 and30 and receives an eccentric bushing 54 which, prior to the final assembly of the parts, can be adjusted both ro'tatably and in the direction of its length. A pivot pin 56 isreceived within the bushing testing it;

of the clamp parallel to each other and a,

screw 66 threaded in the arm 58 has a knurled head 68 by which the two members of the clamp may be caused to approach one another. The knurled head 68 also serves as a handle in moving the arm and the awl from an inoperative position to an operative position in which the point of the awl will project between the sections of the point clamping and file guiding means. When the parts of the device are assembled, if a properly shaped awl, when heldin the swinging arm, willnot enter the sections ofithesha ping ridge, the eccentric bushing 54 is capable of a corrective movement both rotatably and in the direction-ofits length. Rotative adjustment of thebushing will serve to set the pivot 56 in such a position that the are of the circle in which the awl lies will pass through the ridge formed by the surfaces 28 and30., Axial movement of. the bushing will cause the plane of the awl to. center itself with respect to the point clamping means. These adjustments are effected by the aid of a pin inserted in the hole 70 to rotate the bushing after which the bushing is clamped by a hollow set screw 72 threaded in a boss in the arm 10. The hollow set screw is then utilized as a guide for a boring tool which cuts a circular opening 74in which a lock pin 76 is inserted. The pin- 7 6 is then clamped securely by a second set screw 7 8 and all of these partsmay then be sealed by suitably closing the opening in the boss. Although an experlenced operator of the stitching machine would naturally insert the shank of the awlinto the clamp on the swinging arm first, nevertheless he is prevent-ed from first inserting the. point of the awl between the sections of the pointcla-mping means and thus filing the awl without This result is accomplished by fixing apin 80in the base 10 to limit the swinging of. the segmentalarm 58 away 7 from the point clamping means and consequently there is. room to insertthe shankiot theawl in the testing and supporting arm,

but-not sufficient room to insert the pointed end-alone in the point clamping means.

In the use of the device, an aw'l to" be ointed is inserted and the shank is clamped inthe curvedgrooves between the members 58 and 62. The operator then grasps the knurled head 68 and swings the awl in a direction towards the V-shaped grooves 36 and since the shank gripping means and the file guiding surfaces are so co-operatively arranged that only those awls having the proper curvature can extend between the guiding members and to the gripping means,

any awl that does not readily enter the grooves 36 may be readily detected and discarded as unfit for further use.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a device of the class described, a guiding surface for guiding ashaping tool along the end of an awl, and coacting mem bers for gripping the awl and moving itinto a predetermined relation to said guiding surface.

2. In a device of the class described, a guiding surface for guiding a shaping tool along the end of an awl," a pivoted arm having means for holding a curved awl, and

means for swinging the arm around its axis to carry the awl into shaping relation to said guiding surface.

3. In a device of the class described, a ridge having two plane file guiding surfaces intersecting at the angle desired for the beveled end of an awl, means for clamping the awl for filing with its axis in predetermined position with respect to said surfaces, and means for moving the awl toward said predetermined position to test it before clamping.

4. In a device of the class described, a support, a sectional ridge secured to the support and arranged to guide a shaping tool, means for moving the sections of the ridge to clamp an awl, an arm pivoted to said support, awl clamping means mounted on the arm, and means for swinging the arm to carry the end of the awl between the sections of the ridge.

5. In a device of the class described, means for gripping a curved awl at the shank, means for gripping the awl at its beveled end, and means associated with saidlastnamed means for determining the shape of the bevel to be formed at the end of the awl.

6. In a device of the class described, means for gripping a curved awl at the shank, means for gripping the awl at its beveled end, and means for insuring insertion of the awl into the first gripping means prior to the second. 7 V

7. In a device of the class described, an arm having means for gripping the shank of a curved awl, mechanism. having a predetermined relation to the arm for shaping the beveled end of the awl, and a pin limiting the movement of the arm away from said mechanism to insure the use of the gripping means before shaping.

8. In a device of the'class described, a guiding surface for guiding a shaping tool along theend of an awl, means for gripping an awl and moving it into cooperative rela tion to said guiding surface, and means for adjusting the path' of movement of said awl gripping means into the desired relation to saidguiding surface.

9. In a device of the class described, guiding surfaces for determining the shape ofthe bevel of an awl, an arm having means for gripping an awl, an eccentric bushing, a pin connected to the arm and rockable in the bushing, and means for adjusting the bushing to determine the path of movement of the awl with respect to the shape determining means.

10. In a device of the class described, guiding surfaces for determining the-shape 'of thebevel of an awl, an arm having means for gripping an awl, an eccentric bushing, a pin connected to the arm and rockable in the bushing, meansfor adjusting the bushing to determine the path of movement ofthe'awl with respect to the shape determining means, and means to fix the bushing permanently. in the adjustedposition. 11. In a device of the class described,

means for gripping an awl at its beveled end means associated therewith for determining the shape of the bevel, a segmental pivoted arm having a curved groove to grip the corner of an awl, and a cooperating clamping member having a complemental groove to grip the opposite corner of said awl.

12. In a device of the class described, a support having spaced bearing portions, a pair of connected awl clamping arms resting against said bearing portions, and means for movingI the connection between the arms to cause t e arms to clamp an awl.

13. In a device of the class described, a. support having a cupped portion to provide opposite bearing points, a stem passing through said support, a divided block centrally connected to said stem and having opposite arms resting against said bearing points, and means for moving said stem to cause the arms of said block to clamp an awl between them. r

14. In a machine of the class described, meansv initially operable for gripping an awl at its shank, and means subsequently operable for gripping the .awl at its beveled end, the latter named means'being effective only if the awl is of proper curvature.

15. In a device of the class described, file guiding surfaces spaced apart to receive the pointed extremity of an awl and awl gripping means located at a point remote from the guiding'surfaces, the positions of the guiding surfaces and the gripping means being so co-operatively arranged that only those awls having a proper curvature can extend between the guiding surfaces and to the gripping means.

, 16. In a device of the character described, a segmental arm provided with means to grip an awl and mounted to pivot about an axis to move the awl through an are of a cinele, and file guiding surfaces located within the path of movement of the 'aWl,

17. In a device for use in shaping the pointed extremity of an awha base, and means mounted on said base for supporting the awl, slaid'supporting means being movable relatively to the base to transfer a supported avvl from an inoperative {1W1 inserting position into an operative awl filing position. i v

18, Inga device for use in shaping the pointed extremity of an awl, a base, and a pluralityof awl olan'iping members mounted for movementirelatively to said base, one of said members being adjustably secured to the ,otheriofsaid members and both of said members being-movable from an inoperative awl receiving position to an operative awl filing position; r i a a 19.111 a 'device for use in shaping the pointed extremity of, an and, a base, an arm extending upwardly from said base, means carried by'said arm for use in; imparting to the awl a pointed extremity having a preneeaeoa determined angle of bevel, and avvl supporting meansiearried by saidbase and arranged for movement to project a supported awl in the direction of the means for use in imparting a pointed extremity to the and.

,20. In a device for shaping the pointed extremity of an and, a base member, an awl clamping block mounted for movement relatively to the base member, connections between the base member and the awl clamping block, a second awl clamping block mounted in .co-operative relation with respect to said first block, one of said blocks be ng formed with a groove for gripping one of the opposite edges of a supported awl, and means for causing the blocks to approach one another to grip the awl.

In, testimony whereof I, the said. THOMAS H. SEELY, have signed my name to this specification. a V

' THOMAS H. SEELY.

- a In testimony WhereofI, thesaid LE ROY W. Romans, have signed my name tothis specification. a

- LE noYW. RoLLnI's; 

